Single Dad Sat Alone at the Bar—Then His Cold CEO Boss Smiled and Asked, “Will You Buy Me a Drink?”
Chapter 7
Daniel showed Victoria the footage.
She watched it twice.
“Graham.”
“Yes.”
“How long has he been inside your apartment?”
“I don’t know.”
She stood.
“We need to move Lily.”
“My daughter?”
“Tonight.”
Daniel’s face tightened.
“Why?”
“Because if Graham is watching you, he knows about her.”
Daniel went pale.
Within an hour, security moved Lily to a private residence protected by Victoria’s team.
Daniel followed.
He didn’t leave her side.
When he finally sat down, he looked exhausted.
“I’m scared.”
Victoria sat beside him.
“You don’t have to hide that.”
He looked at her.
“I’ve spent seven years pretending I can handle everything.”
“Can you?”
“No.”
He gave a weak laugh.
“Sometimes I just want someone else to tell me it’ll be okay.”
Victoria looked at him.
“It’ll be okay.”
He smiled.
“You sound very confident.”
“I’m not.”
She reached for his hand.
“But I’m here.”
Their hands stayed together.
Neither moved.
Daniel looked at her.
“Victoria.”
“Yes?”
“If we weren’t working together…”
He stopped.
She finished the sentence.
“Things would be easier.”
“Yes.”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe?”
She looked down.
“I don’t want to regret something because I was afraid to try.”
Daniel’s heart pounded.
“Neither do I.”
They were inches apart.
Then a security alarm sounded.
They jumped apart.
A guard rushed in.
“Ma’am, someone accessed the garage.”
Victoria stood.
“Who?”
“We don’t know.”
Daniel’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
A man’s voice whispered:
“Tell Victoria to stop digging.”
Daniel stood.
“Who is this?”
“Next time, we won’t warn you.”
The line went dead.
Victoria took the phone.
“Trace it.”
The security team began working.
Minutes later, they found the source.
Inside Hale & Mercer headquarters.
Someone had used an executive access card.
Victoria frowned.
“Whose card?”
The security chief hesitated.
“Yours.”
She froze.
“What?”
“The access was made using your private authorization.”
Daniel looked at her.
“Someone cloned your card.”
Victoria’s expression hardened.
“Then they have access to almost everything.”
She turned toward Daniel.
“We need to find them before they make another move.”
But then another message arrived.
A photograph.
Daniel’s apartment.
Taken earlier that day.
And beneath it:
You trusted the wrong person.
Daniel looked at Victoria.
She looked at him.
For the first time, doubt entered the room.
Not about each other.
About everyone else.
